For 35 years he’s been serving this community in one way or another, first as a contractor (he helped build the Gig Harbor Civic Center, among other highly visible local projects); then he represented the Gig Harbor Peninsula on the Pierce County Council for two terms. For the past eight years he’s been the executive director of Peninsula Metropolitan Parks District.

On May 30, Lee will step away from that job to decide what’s next.

“I’ve been thinking about leaving PenMet for awhile,” he said in a recent phone conversation. “It’s taken a lot of thought because it’s a wonderful job with a wonderful staff in a wonderful location — and so much of it has been working with kids. What could be better than that?”

But he’s accomplished just about everything he set out to do at PenMet, and now he’s looking forward to spending more time with his wife, grandkids and his 94-year-old mother.

“The (PenMet) board of directors hired me to create partnerships with other community organizations and community leaders and to strengthen PenMet’s ‘brand,’” he said. “I think I’ve been very successful at that and I’m certainly not leaving anything half done. But you have to recognize at some time in your life that you have to step back and just enjoy spending time with your family.”

Under Lee’s watchful eye PenMet made many significant property purchases, including the old Peninsula Gardens site and Rosedale Park and community hall.

Several off-leash dog parks have been created and programming has been expanded across the board — especially at the Indoor Soccer Center that PenMet leases from Tacoma Screw Products.

One of the newest programs at the soccer center — the Friendship Club — provides weekly activities and social time for young adults with disabilities to connect with each other and the community.

And the Teen Open Mic at Rosedale hall has given local teens an opportunity to show off their musical, literary and theatrical talents every month.

Add to Lee’s list of accomplishments three big capital projects at Sehmel Homestead Park, including construction of a second restroom and installation of new artificial turf on the play fields and also spearheading PenMet’s successful levy lid lift campaign.

“There’s nothing new at Sehmel that I want to take on right now,” he said. “And I wanted to be here when we asked the community to support the levy lid lift, so I’ve done most of what I wanted to do.”

But even with all the projects Lee has already checked off on his “to do” list, there are still a dozen-or-so more things he wants to accomplish before he leaves — creating a permanent, indoor recreation center for example.

“The board knows that the Indoor Soccer Center won’t be available to us forever and I want to make sure we get the wheels turning for an indoor recreation center of our own,” he said.

If all goes as planned, the new indoor center will be located at the former Peninsula Gardens site. But it’s a three-to-five year project that starts with a conceptual design, a budget and a development schedule. And, Lee said, “It’s better for someone besides me to be involved with the design and the other things, so somebody new doesn’t have to step into ‘my’ design.”

The 10.5-acre site is slated to be home to PenMet staff headquarters will include picnic areas and trails and possibly even a splash park. “It would be a great place for trails and another off-leash dog park,” he added. “And there’s plenty of room for parking, but we have to realistically look at how much we can actually build on the site, and how big it needs to be.”

For starters, any new indoor venue needs to be much larger than the Indoor Soccer Center, he said, because PenMet had to turn away 13 soccer teams this past season because the current space is simply too small.

As plans for Peninsula Gardens are developed, there will be a feasibility study and plenty of opportunities for community interaction, he added. “It will be a big project for the new director, whoever that may be.”

Lee is quick to emphasize that he isn’t “retiring.”

“I’m being very careful not to say ‘retire,’” he said with a smile. “I’ve been in community service for 35 years and I can’t imagine not being involved in some way.

“I really have no idea what I’ll do next, but that’s the beauty of it. I don’t think it will be an elected office – that doesn’t sound attractive right now. But I won’t say ‘no, not ever.’

“I know there’ll be something that comes along that’s tagged with public service or community service and I’ll sign up for it. It’s in my blood.”